TESTIMONIALS

Professor George Ioannou, Director, i-MBA Summer School

An economy in shambles, a country in turmoil, an environment that suffers, but business that advances through sustainable innovation, supported by philosophy and history. You can learn how if you attend the i-MBA Summer School this June in Athens, Greece, the cradle of democracy, science and participatory management. The Summer School includes lectures from world... Read More

It is in times of economic uncertainty, and even hardship, that the right strategic choices that lay foundations for tomorrow’s competitive advantage must be made. Today, these choices involve sustainability, technology and leverage of human capital. The iMBA Summer School exposes participants to these issues, framing them from an economic context and innovation perspective.

Life in Athens

Athens has been a legendary city since antiquity. The city posseses a reality that bears no resemblance to its past and yet, the present does not interrupt its mythical status. The city of the Olympic Idea, the City of Artists, a cultural channel, a scientific centre, an East and West for each voyager, Athens is at the crossroads of numerous major events. Artistic experiences, festivals, conventions, athletic competitions, celebrations, and entertainment events all choose and prefer Athens as their venue, making the city a bustling hub filled with amazing culture and experiences. There is never a shortage of things to take in Athens and the surrounding areas, as there is a wide range of attractions for everyone.

Now a cosmopolitan and modern city, Athens has much to offer all visitors. It is one of Europe’s sunniest cities, and combines culture with entertainment, offering a choice in any kind of vacation one might like: From vibrant nightlife, to relaxing family holidays on sandy gold beaches to enchanting yachting destinations around the coastline of the city and nearby islands.

Every year, particularly during the summer months, Athens comes alive with musical and theatrical events and you never know who is going to show up to play! The indoor and outdoor theatres are some of the best places in the world to see a performance. You should also keep your eyes and ears open for concerts by well-known artists in the theatre located on Mount Lycabettus, as well as the Herod Atticus restored ancient theatre, below the entrance of the Acropolis. Outdoor cinemas and elegant roof-terrace restaurants are also a must-do for the summer nights in Athens. For unrivalled entertainment, clubs on Poseidonos Avenue, on the south coast, cater to every taste: ethnic, Latin, rock live, jazz, hip hop, pop, alternative, mainstream, and free-style.

The venue of the School is conveniently located in downtown Athens. The surrounding area is very lively, with access to a public transportation network consisting of a subway system, trolleys and buses that serve Athens and its surrounding regions. The area is easy to access by foot, offering many different ethnic restaurants, neighborhoods, museums, shops, theaters and sports events. The Monastiraki flea market and antique stores draw visitors from all around the world and just a step further, you can walk along Ermou Street, the busiest shopping street of the city, leading to Syntagma Square. Just north of the square, you can find Kolonaki, the ever-trendy aristocratic neighborhood where you can do what Athenians do best: shop and drink coffee. You can browse designer boutiques to home-grown wonders along the pedestrians’ streets and in the cafes surrounding the square.

The Greek islands with the sandy beaches are a little farther, but still close enough to explore over the weekend. These, as well as many other places, are special places and famous tourist destinations.

As a student in Athens , you will have the opportunity to explore these stunning locations and unveil the Athens that exists beyond the post-card memories.

Follow the 3km long zone connecting most of the major archaeological monuments in the heart of the city, the remodeled pedestrian area around the Acropolis. The visitor will find space for calm walks among the ancient monuments, ruins and trees, the Acropolis, the Agora (the meeting place of the ancient city) and through the narrow streets of the old city of Athens.

All around the city of Athens visitors can admire some of the most impressive samples of byzantine architecture. Churches built during the first Christian Era (2nd century) and the Golden Age of the Athens Byzantine Art (11th & 12th century) are a must see for any visitor interested in partaking in the Greek Culture.

In Athens you will have the chance to visit some of the most fascinating museums in the world. Be sure to include a visit to the classic museums like the National Archaeological Museum, which holds the world’s greatest collection of Greek art, the Benaki Museum, the Byzantine Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art, and the Numismatic Museum. Last but not least, do not leave the city before you have had a chance to pay a visit to the new Acropolis Museum. All of the city’s museums have been renovated for the 2004 Olympics.

Syntagma Square is the centre of the modern city, site of the former Royal Palace, the Greek Parliament and other 19th century public buildings. Athens has more theatres than any other European city, including beautiful ancienttheaters built of marble, that are home to the Athens Festival from June to July and many music venues. Athens was the host to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 as well as the 2004 Olympics. Pay a visit to the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Olympic Games were held and to the new Olympic Stadium Complex (OAKA). The area has been remodeled by famed architect Santiago Calatrava with work been done on monuments, gardens, futuristic passages and the addition of a characteristic new blue glass roof to the main Stadium.

Public transport in Athens is excellent and was significantly revamped in view of the 2004 Olympic Games. The system includes the following means of transportation: the Athens Metro, the Electric Railway, the Suburbial Railway, Buses, Cable Cars and Tramway. It connects all municipalities wthin Athens and Piraeus, as well the suburbs in the surrounding areas. Athens is also the hub of the country’s National Railway Network, connecting the capital with major cities across Greece and abroad, whereas ferries departing from the major port of Piraeus connect the city to the numerous Greek islands of the Aegean Sea. Express bus services, as well as the Metro, connect Athens with Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (AIA) located near the town of Spata, 35 km east of Athens.

Live the unforgettable student experience in Athens!
For detailed info on the city of Athens, we recommend you to visit This is Athens!
If you plan to extend your stay in Greece, it’s worth watching this video.